Ys series hero Adol Christin has long had a tumultuous relationship with the sea, often finding himself shipwrecked in his adventurous exploits. It's no surprise that in Ys X: Nordics, launching in Japan and heading to Western shores this October 2024, maritime challenges are at the forefront of the gameplay. Fans of the Ys series are privy to Adol's past aquatic misadventures, from being stranded to battling sea serpents. A running gag within the series and the community echoes the sentiment, "Never board a boat with Adol!" Yet, that is precisely what players are encouraged to do in this latest installment, not only boarding the boat but also captaining and enhancing it.
Steering into its 35th year, Ys X allows players, for the first time, to take control of a ship directly, marking a significant gameplay evolution within the series. Announced by Nihon Falcom and showcased by NIS America, this 11th title in the series sets a narrative that slots after Ys II and before Ys: Memories of Celceta. Unlike Falcom's interconnected Trails series, Ys games maintain independent narratives, and Ys X: Nordics draws historical inspirations from the Normans and the Bay of Biscay region for its setting.
During the online showcase, NIS America provided insights starting from chapter four of the game, indicating where the exploration aspects significantly open up. The ship named Sandras isn't just a mode of transport but serves as the base of operations for the player. As a reinvented RPG pirate dream, the Sandras allows players to manage a crew, upgrade the ship, forge weapons, and craft essential items like potions and food.
Crew management is storyline-driven as well as dependent on sidequests, each crew member contributing unique benefits and impacting ship stats. This plays a crucial role, especially in the newly introduced feature of ship battles, reminiscent of Skies of Arcadia but tailored for action RPG enthusiasts. These battles can be random skirmishes or part of main story missions, involving tactical maneuvering and resource management like timing cannonball shots and utilizing limited-use heavy artillery like torpedoes.
Combat and exploration go beyond naval engagements. Ys X simplifies party dynamics seen in previous Ys installments by focusing on Adol and his new companion Karja Balta. The gameplay alternates between solo and duo modes, where players can switch control seamlessly or link characters for combined attacks. This combat system introduces the Mana Link feature, integral to both the game’s story and its mechanics. The Mana Link not only facilitates powerful combos but also aids in dungeon navigation by providing special abilities that affect both traversal and combat.
Another novel aspect in Ys X is the integration of the Release Line, a sort of skill tree where players can customize character growth. By using Mana Seeds collected during adventures, players can enhance specific attributes relevant to each character, providing flexibility and depth to character progression.
Amidst traditional Ys-style dungeon crawls filled with monsters, Ys X also promises an array of interactive crew scenarios and decisions affecting gameplay and narrative outcomes. These interactions ensure a lively and engaging onboard experience, potentially enriching the character-driven storyline documented in a detailed journal within the game.
As Ys X: Nordics prepares to dock on Nintendo Switch later in October 2024, it presents itself as a comprehensive blend of classic Ys combat and exploration with an enriched maritime theme, aiming to deliver one of the most expansive adventures in the series' history. Whether you're navigating stormy seas or skirmishing with undead pirates, Ys X seeks to enchant longtime fans and newcomers alike with its deep, engaging gameplay and evocative storytelling set against a nautical backdrop.
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